Post-cap.



s. w. ROTH-ROCK.

.POST GAP.

APPLIUATIOH FILED D110. 3, 1909.

witmaowo COLUIIIA Pl-QNODRAPH Cm, WASHINGTON. D. e.

Patented Sept. 10, I912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. ROTHROCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 LINCOLNARCHITECTURAL IRON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

POST-CAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

Application filed December 3, 1909. Serial No. 531,155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. ROTH- ROCK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York city, county of New York, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPost-Caps, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to post caps such as are used in wood buildingconstruction for securing together vertical posts or uprights andgirders. I

The object of my invention is to produce a staunch post cap which may beformed of stock-metal parts and so constructed that caps -of many sizesmay be quickly made up from a minimum number of standard commercialshapes and dimensions of rolled iron or steel. These commercial formsmay be kept in stock and cut up in suitable lengths and drilled so as tobe quickly assembled into a unitary post cap, which may be done byriveting, bolting or spot-welding.

By the use of my invention the amount of metal that has to be carried instock for the manufacture of the caps may be greatly reduced since capsof many sizes may be made up,utilizing for all sizes, mostly commercialforms of thesame dimensions; which may be drilled and stacked away readyfor assembling; whereas in other post caps known to me and utilizingcommercial iron or steel forms, it is necessary to carry forms of various dimensions for the manufacture of caps of different sizes, thelarger size caps requiring commercial forms of greater dimensions whichare more expensive to handle and out.

Other advantages obtained by the manufacture of post caps in accordancewith my,

invention will more fully appear from the following description taken inconnection with the in Which.

Figure l is an end view of one form of post-cap madein accordance withmy invention, showing the timbers connected and supported thereby; Fig.2 is a side View of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof.Referring to the drawings, the figures show by way of example a four-waypostcap utilized for securing four horizontal timbers to the uprights,and in which 1 is a floor member upon which are mounted two accompanyingdrawings,

angle irons 2 2 having their horizontal flanges facing out and restingupon the floor member to form a channel for receiving a horizontaltimber 3. The timber is '7 out and having their vertical flanges form- 3ing, with the vertical flanges of the angle 1IOI1S H, a cap fitting overan upright or post 6. The horizontal flanges of the angle irons 55 arebolted to the floor 1 by means of bolts 7 having projecting heads 88adapted to fit into corresponding pockets in the timbers 3 to assist inholding the timbers in "place. The horizontal outwardly facing flangesof the angle irons 2-2 and 4-4 are preferably secured to the floormember by means of bolts 9.

Where it is desired to use a four-way post-cap as herein illustrated, sothat timbers 10l0 extending at right angles to the timbers 3 may besecured in position, I provide a pair of angle irons 1l-11 on each ofthe outwardly facing horizontal flanges of the angle irons 2--2. Theseangle irons 1111 have their horizontal flanges resting upon thehorizontal flanges of the angle i irons 22 to which they are bolted. The

vertical flanges of the angle irons l111 thus form with each other andwith the horizontal flange of the angle iron 11 upon which they rest, achannel or pocket at right angles to the angle iron 2, in which channelthe timber 10 may be secured. Inasmuch as the cross pieces 10 areusually ofless depth than the horizontal girders, it is necessary toprovide means for elevating them above the floor level, and for thispurpose I prefer to use a channel-iron 12 inverted and bolted to thefloor member by a bolt 13 which preferably has an extended head or nut14 for engaging in the recess 15 formed in the cross piece 10 for thepurpose of assisting in securing the cross piece to the cap. It isobvious that in the construction of this type of postcap as in theconstruction of those heretofore described, the use of angle iron of agiven dimension may be utilized within proper limits to form post capsof various sizes.

The post caps may be formed by having the parts bolted 'or rivetedtogether or welded as by spot-welding according to whichever form isconsidered most satisfactory for the particular purpose for which.

the post cap is intended. Also the stirrup or socket for the crosstimber may be formed on one or both of the upper longitudinal angleirons, depending upon whether or not it is necessary to join three orfour horizontal timbers to the upright; and instead of one or more ofthe bolts passing through the floor member, being provided with heads ornuts for engaging recesses in the horizontal girders, if desired thefloor member may be provided with other projections for engaging inthese recesses.

In construction work it is customary to have the upright above the cap,of smaller cross-section than the lower upright, and the difference inthe relative sizes of the upper and lower uprights varies considerablywith different constructions. In some cases the two uprights are of thesame size, and in other constructions the relative dimensions of the twouprights varies so that it has been necessary in post-cap made up ofcommercial iron forms, to have forms of different dimensions for thedifferent size caps, but by the use of a floor member upon which theangle irons are spaced and secured, it is possible to utilize angleirons of the same dimensions in making up post-caps of various sizes,since the angle irons may be spaced upon the floor member at any desireddistance and then drilled and bolted or welded thereto; also, where capsare to be provided for lower uprights of different dimensions, it isonly necessary with my improved post-cap to have flat sheets of iron orsteel of different widths since the same size angle iron may be usedwith uprights of various crosssections, it being only necessary to spacethe angle irons apart on the floor member 1 at suitable distances. Bybeing able to utilize angle irons of a given cross-section for post-capsof various sizes, the expense of carrying different size angle irons instock is done away with. The actual cost of making up the post-caps isalso considerably lessened, since smaller angle iron may be used in thelarger caps than has heretofore been possible, thus requiring less timein cutting and drilling.

It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various other modifiedforms of postcaps may be designed embodying my invention; and that othersuitable metal shapes other than the commercial angle iron herein shownand described may be utilized in connection with the floor member, suchfor instance as angle pieces made up from metal plates or othercommercial metal forms, as for instance from split channel iron, and bythe term angle iron as herein used I wish to be understood as meaningany iron shapes having a horizontal and a vertical flange; and while Ihave described the invention in connection with the form hereinillustrated, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my inventionother than as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a post cap, the combination of a floor member, two angleirons spaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facingout, two angle irons substantially parallel with the upper angle ironsand spaced apart upon the lower surfaces of the floor member with theirhorizontal flanges facing out, the upper and lower adjacent outwardlyfacing horizontal flanges of the angle irons being secured to the floormem her to form therewith reinforced side flanges, and transverse endpieces secured beneath the floor member between the vertical flanges ofthe lower longitudinal angle irons.

2. In a post cap the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon said floor member, with their horizontal flangesfacing out, two angle irons substantially parallel with the upper angleirons and spaced apart below the floor member with their horizontalflanges facing out, the spacing between said lower angle irons beinggreater than the spacing between the upper angle irons, and means forsecuring said angle irons to the floor member.

3. In a post cap the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facing out, twoangle irons spaced apart below the floor member substantially parallelwith the upper angle irons and having their horizontal flanges facingout and narrower than the horizontal flanges of said upper angle irons,the spacing of said lower angle irons being greater than that of theupper angle irons, and means for securing said upper and lower angleirons to the floor member.

4. In a post cap the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facing out, twoangle irons spaced apart below the floor member substantially parallelwith the upper angle irons and with their horizontal flanges facing out,two other angle irons having their horizontal flanges facing out andarranged transversely of and below the floor member and embraced betweenthe vertical flanges of the lower longitudinal the same with theirhorizontal flanges facing out, two angle irons spaced apart below thefloor member substantially parallel with the upper angle irons and withtheir horizontal flanges facing out, two other angle irons having theirhorizontal flanges facing out and arranged transversely of and below thefloor member and embraced between the vertical flanges of the lowerlongitudinal angle irons, means for securing the horizontal flanges ofthe upper and lower adjacent parallel angle irons to each other and tothe floor member by passing through each, and separate means forsecuring said transverse lower angle irons to the floor member.

6. In a post cap the combination of a post, a floor member, two angleirons spaced apart upon the latter with their horizontal flanges facingout, two angle irons arranged upon the horizontal flange of one of saidfirst angle irons, transverse to the same and forming with said angleiron a socket for the reception of a timber, and means below said floormember for securing the cap to the post.

7 In a post cap the combination of a post, a floor member, two angleirons spaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facingout, an inverted channel member secured to the horizontal flange of oneof said angle irons, means secured to said floor member and forming withthe upper surface of said inverted channel member and the verticalflange of said angle iron a socket for receiving a timber, and meansbelow said floor member for securing the cap on said )ost. I 8. In apost capthe combination of a post, a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facing out, aninverted channel member mounted upon said floor member exterior of theangle irons, two angle irons arranged one on either side of saidinverted channel member transverse to the first mentioned angle ironsand forming with said channel member and one of said first angle irons asocket for receiving a timber, and means below said floor member forholding the cap to said post.

9. In a post cap, the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facing out, twoangle irons spaced apart below the floor member substantially parallelwith the upper angle irons and with their horizontal flanges facing out,said outwardly facing upper and lower horizontal flanges of the angleironsforming with the floor member a reinforced flange or ledge for thesupport of a timber, and a projection from said ledge for entering thetimber to old it in place.

10. In a post cap, the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apart upon the same with their horizontal flanges facing out, twoangle irons spaced apart below the floor member substantially parallelwith the upper angle irons and with their horizontal flanges facing out,said outwardly facing upper and lower horizontal flanges of the angleirons forming with the floor member a reinforced flange or ledge for thesupport of a timber, and a socket on said ledge to receive and hold thetimber in place thereon.

11. In a post cap, the combination of a floor member, two angle ironsspaced apartupon the same wit-h their horizontal flanges facing out, twoangle irons spaced apart below the floor member substantially parallelwith the upper angle irons and with their horizontal flanges facing out,said outwardly facing upper and lower horizontal flanges of the angleirons forming with the floor member a reinforced flange or ledge for thesupport of a timber, a socket on said ledge receiving the timber toprevent lateral movement thereof, and a projection from said socketentering the timber to hold it from longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL W. ROTHROCK.

Witnesses:

EDWIN SEGER, SAMUEL H. WARD, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

